Let’s get the bad (though perhaps unsurprising) news out of the way first: from a pure technical perspective, Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise is a train wreck. Anyone who can't handle unstable framerates, crude character animation, moiré-like patterns and other visual artifacts or general video game jank should steer well clear of this sequel to 2010's open-world survival horror title from famed director SWERY.
With that said – and trust us, we’ll return to those issues in a moment – we don’t recall the last time we had quite so much fun with such a flawed game. For many, that alone will make it the worthiest of sequels to the original Deadly Premonition, a cult classic which defied a ton of major technical problems to win a dedicated following.
Deadly Premonition 2 is split across two time periods, acting as both a prequel and sequel. You begin with FBI Special Agents Aaliyah Davis and Simon Jones in 2019 questioning a retired agent about an old case conducted in Le Carré, a small town outside New Orleans. The bulk of the game, however, is spent back in 2005 (prior to the events of the first game) in the shoes of Special Agent Francis York Morgan (York) as he investigates a gruesome murder while holidaying in the Deep South. Aided in his efforts by Patricia Woods, a young Le Carré resident, York meets an eccentric cast of characters and the story sees him take advice and follow clues from otherworldly sources as he explores the town and uncovers the mystery.
As detective work goes, you won't be needing a deerstalker and a pipe to solve this case; progression is laid out for you in a very linear fashion, and there really aren’t any puzzles to speak of. The game is primarily made up of fetch quests – go there, do this, find three of these, take them to X, and so on – with the occasional bout of repetitive Resident Evil 4-style shooting combat. That part of the game isn't particularly challenging, either; we had no trouble taking down the game's handful of bosses the first time of asking. Deadly Premonition 2 calmly carries you along like a police procedural, rather than making you sweat bullets trying to connect the dots and catch the killer.
It’s worth reiterating once more that performance is atrocious. Hitching animations, frame freezes, horrible pop-in – you name it, it's here. There’s not a straight edge in the game that doesn’t shimmer as the camera moves (a camera that, incidentally, must be manipulated manually at all times). Characters’ lips float disturbingly over their teeth as they speak. Title cards announcing date and location are needlessly subtitled. Shadows flicker with distracting artifacts. Loads are long and frequent.
At one point during our playthrough, in the middle of the most laborious fetch-follow quest in the game, we crashed to the Switch system menu (possibly due to some memory build up after playing the game over a couple of days and leaving our Switch in stand-by mode) and had to replay that entire section again. Of course, to get hung up on technical issues would be to miss the point, although it’s tough to ignore when the framerate dips into the holy-crap-I-could-count-faster-than-this range.
However, as fans of the first game will attest, there’s a strange sense that its technical limitations are somehow additive to Deadly Premonition’s surreal charm. We spent large swathes of our playthrough (around 20 hours, we'd say) just marvelling at how a game released in 2020 could be this ropey. It’s a Switch exclusive at the time of writing, presumably designed with Nintendo's hardware in mind, and it's mind-boggling.
And yet! The characters and the story work their magic and somehow have you giving the game the benefit of the doubt. At no time did we want to stop playing. In fact, we found ourselves considering the possibility that it's somehow an intentional part of the design; a Brechtian alienation device or other knowing trick on the part of SWERY and his team. In certain lights (and more often in still images), Deadly Premonition 2 can actually look quite nice. A thin black outline to characters and objects and some effective voice work give it a style that occasionally makes it look better than an up-rezzed PS2 title; something that its decade-old quest design and execution might suggest.
Here's an example of the jank: speaking to the concierge at night deposited us outside the hotel, locked into a conversation with an NPC while enemies spawned and began merrily running us through with snapping scissors. Perhaps this is some brand of metatextual throwback to 2005, we thought; a time when open-world ambition and atmosphere made a slideshow framerate more forgivable. It’s a stretch, admittedly, but the fact that Deadly Premonition 2 has you entertaining theories like this is indicative of the goodwill it engenders. Perhaps it's supposed to be lo-fi and rubbish! Remember that time when David Lynch shot Inland Empire on a camcorder?
Speaking of Lynch, if the first game borrowed liberally from Twin Peaks, the sequel turns up the reference dial to eleven. Coffee-loving FBI Special Agent York channels Dale Cooper’s oddball enthusiasm impeccably, with 'Zach' (the voice in his head to whom he recounts memories, voices opinions and ruminates on all manner of topics) acting as his very own Diane. In fact, while the Southern setting adds a little True Detective flavour, the game’s obsession with small pleasures (food, drink, cigarettes), the recurrence of duplicates, jazzy musical interludes and the Red Room pause screen is all pure Twin Peaks.
York's encyclopedic knowledge of cinema turns him into a walking, talking Wikipedia entry. You'd expect the constant dialogue references to grate, but rather than giving you a Kojima-style subtextual waterboarding, York’s boundless zest for life and the relish with which he discusses the titles, dates and directors of his favourite films endears him to you even more. In fact, it’s possible that his likeable personality helps paper over the myriad technical cracks of the game. Deadly Premonition 2 just wouldn't work without the Special Agent's goofy, loveable personality at the centre.
At night, Le Carré becomes a nightmarish realm filled with nasties that only York can see, and the enemies are sufficiently creepy with effective audio ticks and effects providing the chills. There are a variety of side quests and mini-games to partake of when you're not fighting the forces of darkness or working the case, including bowling, target practice off a riverboat and (our personal favourite) stone skimming.
York gets around town on a skateboard (at least until a paid-for fast travel method unlocks) and you can unlock tricks and jumps to perform. Hitting ‘Y’ sees him jump on his deck as a jaunty tune plays. Don’t expect Tony Hawk-levels of manoeuvrability (especially as you’ll need to keep your thumb on the right stick to move constantly and reset the camera), and the FBI agent repeats the same dialogue endlessly as you skate between locations, but skateboarding beats running around the town playing chicken with your stamina meter.
Beyond the main quests, there’s plenty of side quests to keep you busy if you want to collect all the charms and enhance your gunplay, skateboarding or minigame abilities. The world is a bit empty, with only the odd car and NPC to be found, but the day-night cycle – coupled with meters for hunger and sleep (not to mention personal hygiene) – means you’ll have to manage your time effectively and play around with the available mechanics to speed up the clock (pro tip: smoking is a filthy habit, but it makes time fly).
The bookending of the 2005 segments with the modern-day parts works well as a framing device for newcomers and veterans of the first game alike. Obviously, you’ll appreciate the sequel all the more if you’re familiar with York’s Greenvale case, but the original game is certainly not required reading, even if one or two spoilers inevitably crop up.
Looking at the component parts, it's hard to put a finger on exactly how SWERY and his team have managed it, but it’s just got something. Perhaps it’s the fact that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. For all its gory horror, Deadly Premonition 2 is undeniably dorky. It jumps irreverently from dismembered corpses to pickpocketing squirrels; investigating crime scenes to skimming stones. York’s enthusiasm for both his work and play is equal, and both activities bleed into each other. The mini-games might seem bolted on, but they also feel as vital to York’s journey as the narrative and the nasties.
And that’s where Deadly Premonition 2 succeeds where other more technically proficient games falter. It may sound strange for what is ostensibly a horror game, but it’s brimming with heart and personality. Individually, many of its mechanics are sorely lacking but, confoundingly, it still hangs together rather well and we were willing to forgive myriad technical sins for the way it made us feel. Even with all the composite elements and touchstones from other media it contains, it somehow forges its own quirky, eminently likeable character.
Conclusion
Veterans of the first game won’t be expecting a technical tour-de-force, but Deadly Premonition 2 still manages to underwhelm in pure performance terms. However (and this is a big however), it's a game with real character and it's very tough to dislike, even as you stutter your way around Le Carré on your skateboard. If you've ever been intrigued by the original, we'd recommend giving this a go. It’s janky and derivative, yes, but it’s also irresistibly wonderful and strange, and there's no other video game quite like it.
Comments 88
I hope it really is as good as this reviews says. Slightly worried by the poor performance, but, that will teach me for pre-ordering.
I wouldn't want it any other way! It's perfect!
An FBI Special Agent protagonist that talks to a voice in his head and gets around town on a skateboard just sounds funnily bizarre. Have to check this out.
If a game is good and makes you feel great, I really don't understand losing points because it's performance is lacking. A great game should be treated as such. You make this game sound amazing and full of character and charm yet you give it major point loss because of its visual presentation. I don't like that. There are tons of games that look like complete ass but are fun. I thought us Nintendo Nerds cared more about how a game plays and makes us feel over its graphical output. I'd like to see less points being lost due to visuals in general on this site. Save it for the PC/PS4 crowd.
EDIT: I'm not looking for this game to get a 10/10 or anything. But what the hell is the scoring here? Is it a gut feeling? The scores in general don't really hold up.
I have been irrationally excited about this game since playing the first earlier this year, I highly recommend them to anyone who wants to play something different, or just wants a good laugh. They're a sublime trainwreck and you'll love them for it.
Deadly Premonition 2 is already getting review bombed.
... by non-Nintendo, actual review sites. You know who the usual suspects are.
@Ninjatiptoes you don't like that the reviewer dislikes what you like about it. That's because it's a review. It's subjective.
@Ninjatiptoes I agree with you mostly, but framerate and performance do have a large impact on gameplay, regardless of how fun it is. I find the jank and performance issues make the original even more hilarious, as long as its playable that's the main thing that matters.
i loved the first one clunky controls ran like a dog. but a terrible game that managed to be great. but deffo a marmite game.
I listened to an interview with Jeff Kramer (York's voice actor) and he's just the loveliest guy. I think it was just conducted on a fans twitch stream but he was so polite and good natured in answering questions from the chat. You really get that feeling from York as well. I'd hang out with that man.
Fun fact - Jeff Kramer also voiced Seaman, the Dreamcast game about raising a fish man.
Can we just get rid of numerical scores already... the review speaks to what works and what is frustrating and provides a list of pros and cons. The reader is supposed to read the critique and consider what s/he values in a game. The score isn’t open for debate, but continuing to add scores to reviews when readers seem to only care about the number and not the content of the review itself devalues the hard work of the reviewers on this site.
It sounds like they should have delayed it a bit. There are no excuses for a system exclusive to perform so poorly.
And the screenshots make it look like a Wii game.
I was considering picking up the first game and then the sequel if I liked it enough, but I think I'll hold on to my coin and skip both now. I have enough mystery games in my collection that I have barely scratched the surfaces of.
@Ninjatiptoes Visual presentation and performance are two completely different things.
@Silly_G the reasons you listed are the exact reason to get the game. From an outside perspective you may see those as negatives, but if you played the first game you'd understand why its so beloved. Its by far the most interesting and unique game you'll ever play. And the second game seems to perfectly capture the design philosophy of the first game.
@halljames In all honesty, this review has undersold how much the bad performance was not a downside in the original game at all.
It added to the atmosphere if anything.
Maybe this one isn't the same, but if it is then the performance is a non factor and shouldn't have been discussed in this review so much.
It's quite literally the only game series in the world you can say that for, and that's what makes it so brilliant
Sounds intriguing and quite wonderful too, but I'm not paying $50 for a janky mess. Will wait for a sale, IMO.
(Although we do need more quirky action games on here. Yakuza 0, anyone?)
Abysmal frame rate and dated quest design does not equal a 7/10, to me.
@AlexSora89 Russian bots and manbabies?
I'll wait for the inevitable physical release.
@yuwarite If anything, it should be lower if it's truly "abysmal." NOTHING destroys the fun of a game quicker than the framerate going to pot, because the actual act of controlling it becomes a nuisance.
I love the first game and will be picking this up...but $50.00? I know the technical shortcomings are part of the charm, but when a video game is objectively busted, a discount is required.
Exactly what expected. Time to get the first one, then!
@Ralizah You don't need to wait long, it is being released physically on Friday.
@Dogtanian Oh, cool. Thanks for the heads up!
@PorllM Well, I also have the first one winging its way to me, so will play that one first before touching this one.
Any game review that incorporates the phrase Brechtian alienation device while referring to frame rate and other aspects of graphics is a winner. Calling the review a winner just made me think of having reviews of reviews. Maybe there could be a website that reviews reviews. The stuff what's his name used to do for Kotaku was worthy of being reviewed, usually because it was so funny. Anyways, I've enjoyed Deadly Premonition on Switch in spite of it's problems, so I'm sure I'll enjoy this sequel too. Thanks for the great review ( a 9 out of 10! : ) ).
It is a freaking 10 year old game and they cannot port it correctly. Lame.
@setezerocinco Uh... what? This is a brand new game, and a Nintendo Switch exclusive. It is by definition not a port, there's nothing to port it from.
After playing Deadly Premonition Origins for the first time a few months ago to completion it had me really looking forward to this game. I'm glad to see this is more of the same. The first game had it's problems sure but the characters and story kept me interested and coming back for more, it was unlike any game I ever played. My copy shipped out today and should be here Friday 😊
I can't take this review seriously. According to another Nintendo only site I frequent, all the cons (on top of excruciating lag all over the place) of this game are:
and they rated it a big, fat 2.5, which is a far more likely grade for something as laughably bad as this.
Great voice acting is one thing, and absolutely important, as is an interesting setting, but if they are stacked up against SO many painfully obvious negatives, then it isn't really worth all that much anymore...
@link3710 my bad. I thought it was a port of the first game.
anyone order this from gamecollection? They don't have any stock but have taking my money, this happen too anyone else?
Also the review doesn't match the score which seems common with this site reads more like a 4 or 5.
The poor performance is definitely a shame, and something that will have to be tolerated to get to the good stuff here.
I think we should be a bit less hard on the poor quality assets, though. Getting very high quality models and environments in a 3D game is a big chunk of work that is not likely to be economically viable for a small team, especially if the concept is quite ambitious. Plenty of developers go the pixel art route and we don't give them a hard time for that decision, so I think it should be just as acceptable to go for an early 3D style similar to the PS2 or PS1 era. We used to enjoy those games just fine. Plenty of really interesting designs that AAA studios wouldn't risk could potentially come about if developers weren't worried about being slammed for janky graphics.
I do agree that it would be nice if we got a smooth 60 FPS in exchange for the drop on asset quality, though.
@setezerocinco
That's was last year
Those bemoaning the bad frame rates and bad graphics probably haven't played the original game. This is the only series I can think of that actually benefits from a poor presentation. There's an odd charm in seeing a character attempt a genuine smile that comes out as weirdly warped lips that barely resembles a smile. It adds to the charm of the B movie feel. The original game was incredible for it's story telling and bizarre characters. Glad to see the second is going to be more of the same.
Well looking at reviews they range from 2-9, averaging 5/10, which reminds me of when the first game first launched . So fans of the original should be fine, but if your a 60fps / graphics whore can see people not liking it, but if you can put up with its problems fun to be had just like the first.
But another part of me thinks it shouldn't be as buggy this day and age, but with any luck the performance issues can be patched, the rest is just part of the series charm
@Ignatius it’s supposed to be for those who don’t read the review, and go the “TL;DR” section.
@ThanosReXXX then don’t listen to the review. Simple as that 🤔
So they're not bugs, they're features? Bethesda would be proud lol 😂
Lol abysmal framerate is enough for me to skip it. I'm not paying $60 for something that runs at ps2 standards. I don't understand why people say it's what it should be. I like my games to run properly
@BeefsoundMagnus since when do games running so poorly are what "it needs to be"? You're paying essentially full price for this you can't tell me you're satisfied with the abysmal framerate.
@Apportal_SMM2 that’s my point exactly. If someone isn’t reading the review it devalues the whole process. Someone is forming their opinion based on a number rather than a review. I used to think that review scores were important, but I disagree with that earlier sentiment more and more each passing day.
25 fps and I’d have bought it simply cause it’s a charming game. But in the current state, no thanks.
@suikoden There's a LOT of grey area between uncanny valley bad graphics and the demands of "graphics whores". Like simply asking for graphics that are more representative/fitting of modern day hardware. Personally, I'm not too focused on graphics, seeing as I still play all of my old games and consoles on a regular basis.
Even for a smaller company, something more akin to Xbox 360/PS3-ish kind of aesthetics should easily have been possible, in my humble opinion. This looks like it has been made with Unreal Engine 2 or lower.
But I could have overlooked that, had it JUST been the graphics, but there's far more cons here than just janky graphics, so yeah...
@Apportal_SMM2 I suppose that's a fair point.
@status-204
Yep saw article, cancelled my pre-order they could at least make a effort but to turn around and say they can't be bothered just isn't good enough . They could of least try to make an effort . Will wait for price drop
Remind me to put this Swery65 produced game released in 2020 to the wish list, Zack.
@ThanosReXXX @ThanosReXXX
Good points more so when they have just stuck up two fingers and say they aren't bothered
@BeefsoundMagnus
Yes, but they aren't even going too to fix any problems , so that behaviour shouldn't be rewarded
What about not releasing a game before it's ready if you don't have plans to fix it ASAP.
@BeefsoundMagnus framerate is also part of the experience which defines quality as well. This is 20fps and below for Switch standards this is horrible even compared to witcher 3 a far bigger game that runs way better while have good gameplay and story.
@Ignatius
I agree with this. I almost feel like the score, in this case, is the reviewer feeling like he can't give the game anything higher than a 7 because, well, "technical issues," and the unwritten rule of videogame appreciation is "technical issues are bad." Except that within the review he explains, at length, how the "technical issues," at least in this case, contribute to the game's overall aesthetic and vibe. I feel that, sometimes, and especially when numerical or letter scores come into play, we think of videogame evaluation in terms of a checklist of attributes instead of the game's ultimate effect. And it's that last thing that usually sticks to memory. I know stuff like framerate issues and jagged edges are, conventionally, "bad videogame things." But if you have a videogame that makes both (o more) things work within its eccentric style... well, sure, I'll bite.
Hmmm, for me this is ok, waiting on the physical release and I wil get it.
I know Im going to enjoy it.
@BeefsoundMagnus
Look at the other article on this site, disgusting behaviour
@DenDen
You do know it's out this friday?
Like the first one, sounds like this one is going to be very divisive, with many thinking it's a 2 or 3 out of 10 and others thinking it's a 9 or 10 out of 10.
@Lordplops Did you even read what I wrote? Sounds like you need to work on your reading comprehension. Schools these days. smh
@DanTee That's my point. If the flaws are adding to the charm why are they counted as a negative for the score? Doesn't make any sense.
@Ninjatiptoes ah I see, yea I'm with you on that, Deadly premonition 1 was exactly the same, I loved the jank and it made the game a much funnier and enjoyable experience for me, but others absolutely couldn't get past it.
@ThanosReXXX thank you for being cool about it 😂 most people take extreme offense lol
@Apportal_SMM2 Yeah, I'm from the generation WAY before all those people who are always offended and posting their entire lives on social media to feel better about themselves, so I'm able to take a hit or two and still shrug it off.
Besides, your point was completely sound and logical, so there wasn't anything I could counter it with, other than acting insulted, indeed...
i Want Ryan Davis to play this for me . Rest in piece my pudgy friend.
Don't see why bad graphics that "make the game better" are counted as a negative. Wasn't Skyrim the same? Everyone still loves Skyrim. Everyone still loves Deadly Premonition 2.
Nice review but...forgot some key questions:
Already at 57 metacritic. Just save the cash and use it to buy Pizza and binge a quaky British show.
Tons of "charm"
Soooo excited for this, the original is one of my favourite games and as a massive Twin Peaks fan, I love the nods to the series. I love jank, it makes games infinitely more fun, whether that’s ragdoll physics, weird bugs etc.
Sounds like a true sequel to the first game, then. There's no question why the series is so divisive, but I'm definitely in the camp that finds the whole package weirdly charming. In a way I'm glad they didn't make this one a huge technical competency leap above the first, because it really IS part of the whole experience.
I always wondered what it would be like if TellTale Games made a Twin Peaks game- looks like DP I and II had the answer for me, all along.
@keihtg Performance is equally poor however you play. Perhaps a mite worse when docked, but very tough to tell. The Digital Foundry analysis will be a treat, I'm sure.
And from the review: "The bookending of the 2005 segments with the modern-day parts works well as a framing device for newcomers and veterans of the first game alike. Obviously, you’ll appreciate the sequel all the more if you’re familiar with York’s Greenvale case, but the original game is certainly not required reading, even if one or two spoilers inevitably crop up."
@setezerocinco The OG is already on Switch since September 4 (yes, after the direct).
This review has really intrigued me. I'll have to give the series a try, at some point. I can wait until the first game gets a discount. Seems like both games have a lot of character.
@AlexSora89 No, I don't
@dartmonkey Ah thanks! And dunno how I missed the part about the first game...TBH, I listened to the video while doing something else, so that's where I went wrong!
I really can't understand that people are defending a 15fps game that costs that much. It is not charming, it is just a job done badly. Every other game would have been shredded to pieces if it looked that way. Metacritic stands at roughly 50something. 7/10 sounds like a joke to me. 🙈🙊
From the beginning I knew that I would buy this game regardless of score. The original had some abysmal reviews yet it was one of my favorite games on Switch. Can't wait until I can play this tomorrow night.
7/10 for a 50 bucks game with that bad performance? You should rethink your ratings honestly. If I had no idea about gaming and I would rely on your review, I might throw money out of the window.
@setezerocinco it's not a PORT it's created ground up for the switch.
Then it is even worst! If it was specially made for Switch, there no excuses for the poor work.
@setezerocinco It was created this way on purpose. They even make reference to it during the game, which by the way is absolutely a blast.
@Onkel_Laser The bad performance is being overstated and who really cares when the game is fun as hell? Plus I'm pretty sure it was done purposely, as the game even alludes to at one point.
Argh you can't invert the Y-axis! It's unplayable to me. Please developers patch this as soon as possible!
@Alpha-2002 hell yes
@santaglause MGSV and more DMC while we're at it too, please!
@Alpha-2002 double hell yes😂
@nessisonett I really enjoyed playing the first one last year - so much so I bought the collectors edition afterwards. Have you played the second yet? What did you think?
@Aslanmagic Unfortunately I’m always skint during the summer so I haven’t picked it up yet! I definitely plan to soon though, the first one is brilliant and I personally can get past all the technical issues.
@nessisonett I excited to play it. I loved the first one so hopefully this one will be pretty great too. And the technical issues are fine with me as well.
@nessisonett I love that SWERY retweeted this https://twitter.com/solvanheart/status/1284282884233273344?s=21
Oh my baby jeebus in a bathtub! That framerate is horrible. It's like my Vic-20 is running QEMU struggling with its emulation.
I finally bought the game this week, and it's pretty great so far. Honestly, i think i like it more then the original, the writing is just hilarious.
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